Question

Most animals that live in deep oceanic waters are

• A. Secondary consumers
  
• B. Tertiary consumers
  
• C. Detritivores
• D. Primary consumers

Answer 1

The correct option is C Detritivores

Secondary consumers
Secondary consumers are carnivorous animals that feed on the primary consumers or herbivorous animals.
In an ocean ecosystem, small fishes and aquatic insects occupy the trophic level of secondary consumers. They are found in the upper layers of the ocean.

Tertiary consumers
Animals that feed on the secondary consumers are known as tertiary consumers. In an ocean, large fishes, aquatic birds, and mammals represent the tertiary consumers. These animals are distributed in different layers of the ocean.

Detritivores
Detritivores feed on the dead and decaying organic matter such as animal wastes and dead remains of aquatic plants and animals which sink down and settle on the soil bed at the bottom of the pond. Thus, animals that live in the deep layers of the ocean are detritivores.

Primary consumers
Primary consumers in an ocean are herbivores such as zooplankton, snails, etc that feed on the producers of the marine ecosystem. Thus these are found on the upper layers of the ocean where light is available for the growth of the producers

Final answer
c. Detritivores